Wednesday, April 28, 2010

I learned quite a few things on a recent trip to Longwood Gardens. Their exhibit Making Scents: The Art and Passion of Fragrance is a treat for your nose...as well as your eyes.

You learn that infants can recognize their mother’s scent even before they are born. How they determine this beats me, but I’m impressed just the same.

I had always heard that scent is one of the strongest triggers for memories. Who doesn’t remember that first day of school and the scent of a newly opened book, Grandma’s house and the smell onions sautéed in butter, or the smell of fresh-mowed grass when you ran outside to play after school. These smells are anchored to powerful childhood memories.

So follow your nose as it makes its way past the jasmine in the conservatory, the lilacs just above the topiary garden, or the scents that you can create in the Music Room. Pay special attention to the giant perfume bottles placed throughout Longwood.

And, oh yes, there are at least 56,000 tulips to see as well.

Along with other flowers.

Mom - the orchids are for you!

This plant (Colleen, if you are reading this, please tell us the name!) was wonderfully fragrant -

especially if you stuck your nose underneath!

As my friend says, everything is bigger at Longwood.

My favorite sign of the day? I’m not dead, I’m dormant.

Longwood Gardens is just an hour from The Artist's Inn, and our guests have enjoyed the many seasons (and smells) of this special place. Now is the perfect time to create new memories that you (and your nose) will remember.

The Artist's Inn

About Me

I've had all kinds of jobs -from working for a perfume company to a daily newspaper, but my favorite role in life (so far) is my dream come true - running an inn, and meeting all sorts of wonderful people from around the world.